Sunday, 17 February 2013

Gladiator (2000) Review

Another film off my top ten films of all time. This film was a surprise
for me, the film that brought back the Hollywood "Epic", reminiscent of
that classic movie (or movies if you look at the 1925 silent version)
William Wyler's Ben-Hur (1958). I know they are about 40 some years
apart but even Ridley Scott says he went back and used Ben-Hur as
reference (found this out on Ben-Hur DVD extras).

When comparing this film to Ben-Hur I refer to the huge cast of what
seems, unlimited extras, the grand scenery, and the huge Rome Colosseum
in all its grandeur. Its strange when you think it took forty years for a
studio and director to make a film on the same scale.

I can hear you asking me so why isn't Ben-Hur in your top 10? Well to
simply put this is just one of them films that has it all for me,
Action, Drama, Brilliant cast, Emotion, Power, Intensity and an amazing
musical score by Hans Zimmer. The cinematography by John Mathieson in
this film is also second to non. The colours just jump out at you and
the scenery is amazing, even simple things like corn fields look
amazingly done. There is one shot we see, the journey into Rome. They
show us the crowds going into the colosseum, its breathtaking, sort of
reminiscent of Cleopatra (1962) and the scene where Cleo, makes her
grand entrance into Rome. I have not seen anything close to it in cinema
since that particular scene.

The only down side for me is, unlike the scene from Cleopatra these
scenes in Gladiator are Computer Graphic Images. Anyone who has read my
thoughts on Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, will know my stance
on CGI. The entrance to Rome in Cleopatra looks more spectacular when
you consider its all real sets and cost a fortune (made 20th Century Fox
nearly bankrupt).

The special effects just pushed things to the limit, yes they are gory
but this is trying its best to show how horrible the lives of these
people were, and that they were just treated as entertainment to the
people of Rome. These Gladiators have no hope they were just sent out to
please the crowd and if they are lucky they earn their freedom. The
fights in the Colosseum are just breathtaking and so gruesome, the
choreography must of been so immense for the Actors. The end of the film
is just pure power and emotion. The ending is just that perfect cherry
on top of a Epic cake that even Mr Kipling himself would be exceedingly
proud of.

This will be a long plot summery. This film revolves around Maximus
played powerfully by Russel Crowe (who won the Oscar for this
performance). When we first see Maximus he is a powerful Roman general,
who has just won a huge battle for the Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius
(the legendary Richard Harris). On his death bed, the Emperor tells
Maximus that he wishes him to take over as Emperor, when he has gone.
The Emperor's son Commodus played by Joaquin Phoenix (one day sir you
will win an oscar), hears about this and has his father murdered, so no
one knows about Maximus becoming the Emperor, so he can have it for
himself. Commodus goes on to have Maximus and his family put to death,
unable to save his family. Maximus is caught as a slave and forced in
the games to fight as a Gladiator. But he wants to have his freedom, so
he can get revenge for his family. This makes him pretty much fight for
his life, this man has so much human spirit and willpower. He garners
respect even from his own "owner" played by the legendary Oliver Reed,
which was sadly his last film. Oliver Reed puts in one hell of a
performance its a beautiful swan song for a man that had such a tragic
real life. Will Maximus be able to use his popularity to avenge his
families death, or will the tyrannical Commodus be able to keep the
throne. Watch it to find out.